The Arizona Wildcats have shown time and again that they can compete with the top soccer teams in the Big 12 and even the country. They hadn’t been able to prove they could beat one until Thursday night when they took down fourth-place Houston 1-0 for their first conference win.
“Oh my god! It feels amazing,” said junior midfielder Lily Boydstun. “I just feel like we’ve been working so hard all season. We’ve hung with all the good teams, like all the top-ranked teams, we’re right there with them.
So it just feels super good to finally get a result. We earned it. We deserve it, and I’m so proud of our team.”
The difference was penalty kicks. The Cougars were awarded a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. As have been most of Arizona’s penalty kicks or possible penalty kicks this year, it was a handball in the box that led to the opportunity. As soon as it happened, half of the UH team on the field and the bench raised their hands calling for it. The official reviewed the play and determined that it did merit a PK.
“We’ve had other handballs reviewed that weren’t determined to be handballs,” Arizona head coach Becca Moros said. “So, I think ultimately it’s just the product of having VR. So they’re looking at things more carefully, and some of the refs interpret the rules one way, and there’s a little bit of gray area on some of the handballs.”
The Wildcats have now given up two penalty kicks on handballs in the box in the last two matches. In the match before that, there were three occasions where they might have touched the ball in the box. Two of them were reviewed and the officials determined they did not merit penalties. The third was not reviewed because Kansas had used all its challenges at that point.
It didn’t matter this time, either, but that had nothing to do with the review. It had to do with the preparation and performance of Arizona’s goalkeepers this season.
Opponents have taken six PK against the Wildcats this season. Sofia Cortes-Browne and Laurynn Ziller have saved four of them. This time it was Ziller stepping up.
“They’ve been studs in there,” Moros said. “I mean, they made big saves for us now multiple times, and the shots that have gone in have been really good shots. But if if someone hangs it up where we could save it, we’re going to save it. They’ve done a great job. Both of them.”
As she has after previous saves, Ziller credited goalkeepers coach Nils Roth for the scout that makes it possible.
“[My coaches] do an amazing job,” Ziller said. “Nils was just like telling me where the two players who might take it go, and I trust him, and it works.”
The one taking it this time was Samira Minor. She tried to tuck it into the bottom right corner. Ziller was already there.
Ziller and Cortes-Browne have been splitting goalkeeping duties this season. Cortes-Browne typically starts games and Ziller comes in for the final 45 minutes. The reserve keeper has three of Arizona’s four penalty kick saves this season. Each keeper has allowed one goal on a penalty kick.
The Arizona players who take penalty kicks don’t do that kind of scouting preparation, but they have connected on two of three PK this season. Boydstun got the score against Houston.
“We don’t really talk about much where the goalkeepers dive to save,” Boydstun said.
Boydstun didn’t draw the foul that led to her score. Ava Shannon tripped Amiya Warner in the box in the 75th minute. The late whistle eventually came. Then, a review followed and verified the call.
Boydstun went to the spot. She put it in the bottom left. Houston keeper Sierra McCluer hesitated a second or so too long. By the time she moved, the ball was past her and Arizona had the lead.
“I just went up there and kicked it,” Boydstun said. “I’m super glad it went in.”
Boydstun now has two goals this season, tying with five other players for second on the team. She also has an assist for five points. Her points are tied with three other players for third on the team.
The goal came less than three minutes after Ziller saved Houston’s attempt and just seconds after Arizona earned one of its five corner kicks. The coach didn’t think that was a coincidence.
“I think they were pretty fired up for Laurynn to make that save for us,” Moros said. “You know, that’s pretty thrilling. A big moment for Laurynn, and such a critical thing for the goalkeepers to be able to to keep us in games. It’s their way of winning the game for us for sure. And so I think they were fired up from Laurynn’s save, and I think the momentum with Ashley [May’s] shot that led to the corner kick that led to second phase on the corners…I consider that penalty kick partly earned by the quality of our runs and our actions in the box on the corner.”
Up Next for Arizona Soccer
Iowa State Cyclones (4-5-4, 0-3-2) @ Arizona Wildcats (4-5-4, 1-1-3)
When: Saturday, Oct. 11 @ 1 p.m. MST
Where: Mulcahy Soccer Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Streaming: ESPN+
Stats: Arizona Live Stats
The goal didn’t guarantee anything. Arizona has had letdowns late in matches. Two weeks ago, the Wildcats went into the final 10 minutes with a scoreless draw against Kansas. The Jayhawks scored two quick goals and walked away with a win.
They didn’t let down this time. The final 15 minutes were stressful but fulfilling.
The offensive output last week at Oklahoma State had an impact. The Wildcats scored three goals in the 3-3 draw. It was just the second time this season they had scored more than two goals and the first time since last September that they had scored three goals in a conference match. It gave the defense a bit of a breather.
“For the defenders, we are asking them to be perfect all the time, you know, no mistakes, and that’s not possible,” Moros said. “So, you know, the other team had shots tonight, and they didn’t drop, but you know, with all that pressure on the back line to limit shots, to be there every second phase, to be there to win the first ball, to defend, properly organize, lead, and all the things that we ask of that line, our attacking unit putting the ball in the net just it relieves some of that pressure for a period of time and allows us to be a little more expansive and aggressive in possession. And so for the back line and the defensive unit and the whole defending effort of the team to be able to put the ball in the net is really important. And we have those pieces. It just hasn’t consistently been there for us, so we need to continue to grow in that area, including tonight. We had some chances that we didn’t put in, and so we need to keep pushing there, and we just keep asking as much as humanly possible out of our defense and our goalkeepers, as well.”
The defense rose to the occasion despite the offense not scoring as much as last week. Houston came into the match averaging 17.5 shots per game. They had 17 against No. 18 West Virginia last week. The Wildcats held them to nine shots while taking 10 of their own. Six of UA’s shots were on goal compared to just one for the Cougars. The UA defense accomplished the task while committing just eight fouls compared to 16 by UH.
The win gives Arizona six points in conference play. The points are tied with TCU for 10th in the league, but Arizona has .500 winning percentage compared to the Horned Frogs’ .400.
Houston’s loss dropped them from fourth to a tie with Colorado for sixth. The Cougars and Buffaloes have nine points and .600 winning percentages with 3-2-0 records in league play.
The Wildcats can continue to improve their position with a win over Iowa State on Sunday. The Cyclones are 15th in the league with a 0-3-2 record and two points. They are coming off a draw against Arizona State.
Arizona can’t get complacent. It tied with last-place Kansas State two weeks ago in a 1-1 match. The other Wildcats are 0-4-1 in the league. A win in that match would have given UA a 2-1-2 record, good for eight points and sole possession of 8th place in the Big 12. The top eight teams go to the conference tournament.
“Good vibes after this game is just gonna like carry us through,”Boydstun said. “And I think now that we have a win under our belt, we’re gonna have a more positive energy within the team to not get down on ourselves and keep going. Because now we know we can beat a top ranked team. Obviously, we’ve been sticking with all the other ones, but like now that we beat one, I think it’s just gonna bring so much positive energy to our team for the rest of conference.”
